On May 3, Infinity Insurance’s Regional Claims Manager, Tim Waldron, called and spoke to Ray Gunder of Gunder’s Auto Center in Lakeland, FL, and repeatedly apologized for the recent comments made by an Infinity claims person to one of Gunder’s customers who captured it on a recorder.

“I spoke with our re-inspector, who went out and re-inspected the vehicle at the body shop,” Whitehurst said in the message. “He said that this body shop has been known to give us issues in the past with other vehicles that they’ve repaired and apparently they are known for overcharging a great deal for the amount of damages and trying to add things that aren’t relevant to, you know, the repairs. They’re also known for holding the vehicle hostage until all the payment is made.”

As a result of the egregious statements made by Infinity’s representative, Ray Gunder immediately contacted his legal counsel, Brent Geohagan, who promptly sent a letter placing the insurer’s claims manager (Mr. Bill Funk) on notice and demanding that Infinity Insurance agree and confirm, in writing within 10 days, that such wrongful conduct on behalf of any Infinity Insurance representative will cease and desist immediately with no re-occurrences.

In response, Tim Waldron, Infinity Insurance Company’s Regional Claims Manager, called and spoke to Ray Gunder personally and repeatedly apologized for the recent comments and conduct of the claims person and her manager and advised Ray that this was an isolated incident and further assured him that the matter would be addressed and that no such conduct would take place in the future with Gunder’s nor any other repairers stating: “this is not the way Infinity conducts its business”.

Ray Gunder stated: “The quickest and surest way to get my back up is to attack me, my family and my company’s integrity! We have served our community with honesty and fairness for over four decades and I assure you we will hold anyone accountable for such slanderous remarks. I don’t know this Lisa Whitehurst and she doesn’t know Gunder’s or me. She’s never been here or had any dealings with us in the past. I am confident she was merely following the instructions and word-track given her by her supervisor and hopefully she has learned a valuable lesson.

I very much appreciate Mr. Waldron’s response and concern and accept his apologies. I look forward to serving Infinity’s policyholders and claimants in the future and doing so without interference.”